1. AIR POLLUTION:
Lobbying starts on soot standards, sets stage for summertime brawl
With the Obama administration facing a deadline this week to suggest any changes to the national air quality standards for soot, the pressure is building on all sides. The American Petroleum Institute got an early start today, insisting that stricter rules could harm the economy. Meanwhile, large health groups are meeting with top administration officials tomorrow to make the case that soot from industrial sources is still killing tens of thousands of Americans every year.